SF 376 

.K6 

'Opy 1 j^ 






HOW TO HANDLE 

#^OFIT 





yT word aboui 

SCOTCH SHEEP 
FEEDING 






Published by 

Clay, Robinson &Co. 

Live Stock Commission 



HOW TO 

HANDLE SHEEP 

FOR PROFIT 

By Frank Kleinheinz 

Shepherd and Instructor in Sheep Husbandry 

AT University of Wisconsin 

Author of "Sheep Management" 

A WORD ABOUT 

SCOTCH SHEEP 
FEEDING 

By John Clay 




PUBLISHED BY 



CLAY, ROBINSON & COMPANY 



no 



^x; 



Copyright 1913 
Clay. Robinson & C( 



OtC 24 \'Vi3 






.,11, 1, 1,1 1, „l, MIIIIIIUIIIIIIII Mllllllllllllf Mllllll inillll IIIIJ|I£ 

I HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP I 
I FOR PROFIT I 



= , iiiiTiiiiiiiii nil I null iiiiniiiiiiii iiiiiiiiu ii mimiimii in F 

By Frank Kleinheinz 




■jwiiiirwp 




1 



E OFTEN hear the proljlem discussed whether 
there is an}' money in sheep raising. Some 
claim that there is, and others that there 
is not. Those who say there is money in 
sheep are evidently of the kind who lo\e 
sheep and have studied their full value and 
have given them the ]5roi;)er care and their 
due share of feed. The others who say there 
is no money in sheep proljably do not pos- 
sess a liking for sheep and do not under- 
stand their proper care and management 
and perhaps are poor feeders. Sheep are 
valuable on the fann for many reasons. In 
the first place it does not require much 
capital to start in with sheei). They do not 
need such expensive bviildings to house them 
in. Furthennorc, in the keeping of sheep, 
the labor question is abolished in a large measure, as they 
require far less labor than other classes of live stock during 
s])ring, summer, and fall when the farmer is very busy with 
his outdoor work in the field. As weed destroyers, sheep 
have no equal. No one will deny that the droppings from 
sheep, sjjread so evenly o\-er the land on which they graze, 
are of far greater value tlian those of any other kind of 
hve stock. Is not the sheep so rightfully called "The Golden 
Hoof"? These words have their proper meaning. For the 
man who understands the business, there is a good profit in 
sheep raising. The sheep industry is bound to become more 
profitable, because sheep cannot be raised in such large 
numbers now on the western ranges as was done in the 
jjast, as these ranges are gradually being cut up into smaller 
farms, and also because the beef production is declining 
by years, while the population in this country is steadily 
increasing. Some may say that there is not much profit 
in sheep because the wool has gone down in price since 

[31 



HOW TO H A N D I . !■: S H K J-. P FOR PROFIT 

the larilT lias been lakt'ii nil. 'I'his, of coursr, is IrvK' of llie 
slit'cp wliicli arc raist'd inainl\- for llK'ir wool, 1ml the muUon 
breeds do not siilTer imieh under this tariff, for nnUton should 
alwax's he the first eonsideration and wool only second as a 
l)y-])r()duct. 

Establishing a Flock 

It is unwise for an\-one who is not thoroui^liK- familiar 
with sheep husbandry to start in with a large flock and con- 
se(inentl\' make a failure of it. It is t'ar l)ettcr to start in with 
a small Hock and then graduall_\' increase the nmnber as one's 
knowledge- of the care and management enlarges. 1 w^ould 
suggest to those who wish to enter this work not to spend a 
large sum of money in buying pure-bred, high-jjriced shee]j 
as Icjng as at o\ir leading markets some young, fairly good 
ewes can be bought for reasonable ]jrices, which can be graded 
u]) with a sire of one of the leading nuitton breeds. 

The Selection of the Ram 

Many bad mistakes are made by flockmasters in the 
selection of a ram for the ewe flock. An old and true saying 
is that the ram is half the flock, and this fact should be deeply 
impressed upon the mind of every sheep breeder in the country, 
if shee]) husbandry is to be raised t(T a higher standard than 
it is today. The first step toward improvement is the use of 
a first class sire. The best ram is none too good for the flock. 
As long as breeders are satisfied to use an inferior scrub ram, 
they cannot expect to impro\'e their flocks. Many breeders, 
h(jwe\'er, have the wrong idea that as long as their ew^s are bred 
to any kind of a rain, everything is done well, but this is a 
serious mistake on their part. Like begets like, and what kind 
of a lamlj crop can be exijccted from ewes bred to a scrub 
ram, with a narrow V)ody, a long, slim neck, a narrow chest, 
and long legs? Lambs from ewes bred by this kind of a sire 
cannot be fed as economically as those which come from the 
right kind of a sire, and consequently will not develop like 
the low, broad, blocky lamb which is so desirable on the mar- 
ket. There is a notable dift'erence in the price paid on the 
market for these two kinds of lambs. No mistake can be 
made by the use of a good sire, and far more profit is insured 
than by the use of a scrub ram. Select a ram with a broad 
head, showing masculinity; a thick, short neck wdthout any 
depression between shoulder and neck, and a broad, deep 

141 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 



chest. He should be broad and smooth on top of the shoul- 
ders and have a well-developed foreann. His legs should be 
short and set well apart. He should be broad, deep and full 
in the heart girth, which indicates a strong constitution. It 
is essential that the ram have a broad, straight back with 
well sprung ribs and wide and thick loins. A long and wide 
rump with a full deep twist is very desirable. He should be 
well filled in the flank with a straight underline. His fleece 

should be dense. t^ i i i i 

It should be remem- 

beredV^that fift>' to fifty-five 
ewes should be the limit for 
any ram to Ijreed in one 
season. On the ranges thirty- 
five fo fort\' ewes are enough 
for one ram. A ram lamb 
should not l)c used for heav>- 
service at any rate. 

As lo tlic lime when to 
breed tht' ewes, this lies en- 
tirely with tlu' llockmaster, 
as lie must know what he 
intends to do with his lambs, 
lie wants to turn them oft" on an early summer 
or whether he intends to keep them over and 

fatten them the following winter. If it is his idea to strike 

the early market, he should 

turn the ram with the flock 

between September 15th and 

October 1st. If he intends 

to follow the other method 

of fattening his lanii)s in the 

fall and winter time, he does 

not need to breed his ewes 

until about November 1st to 

15th, or somewhere about 

that time. 




'A Giiod Ram 



wlielhci 
market 




*A Poor Ram 



Culling the Ewe Flock 

In the fall of the year the 
ewe flock should Ix- looked over antl those ew'cs which ha\'e 
not proved to be good |)roducers, should be culled out, fattened 
and sold. Also ewes with broken mouths should be drafted 

*NoTE— The two rams shown above are of the same breed. |51 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

the larilT has been taken off. Tliis, of course, is true of the 
sheep wiiieh are raised inainl\' for llieir wool, Init tlie mutton 
breeds do not suffer mueli tmder this tariff, for muttcjii should 
alwax's be the first consideration and wool onl\- second as a 
l)_\"-])r()duct. 

Establishing a Flock 

It is unwist' for anxone who is not thoroughly familiar 
with slice]) husbandry lo start in with a large flock and con- 
seciuenll\- make a faihu\' of it. It is far better to start in with 
a small flock and then gradually increase the number as one's 
knowledge of the care and management enlarges. I would 
suggest to those who wish lo enter this work not to spend a 
large sum of monex' in buxing pure-bred, high-])riced sheep 
as long as at our leading markets some young, fairly good 
ewes can l)e bought for reasonable prices, which can be graded 
up with a sire of one of the leading mutton breeds. 

The Selection of the Ram 

Man\- l)ad mistakes are made by flockmasters in the 
selection oi a ram for the ewe flock. An old and true saying 
is that the ram is half the flock, and this fact should be deeply 
impressed ui)on the mind of every sheep breeder in the country, 
if shcej) huslKindry is to be raised to a higher standard than 
it is today. The first step toward improx'cment is the use of 
a first class sire. The l:)est ram is none too good for the flock. 
As long as l)reeders are satisfied to use an inferior scrub ram, 
they cannot expect to iinprove their flocks. Many breeders, 
however, have the wrong idea that as long as their ewes are bred 
to any kind of a ram, everything is done well, bvit this is a 
serious mistake on their part. Like begets like, and what kind 
of a lamb crop can be ex])ccted from ewes bred to a scrub 
ram, with a narrow body, a long, slim neck, a narrow chest, 
and long legs? Lambs from ewes bred Ijy this kind of a sire 
cannot be fed as econoinically as those which come from the 
right kind of a sire, and consequently will not develop like 
the low, l)roa(l, blocky lamb which is so desirable on the mar- 
ket. There is a notable difference in the price paid on the 
market for these two kinds of laml)S. No mistake can be 
made l)y the use of a good sire, and far more profit is insured 
than by the use of a scrub ram. vSelect a ram with a broad 
head, showing masculinit}' ; a thick, short neck without any 
depression between shoulder and neck, and a broad, deep 

[41 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 



chest. He should Ije broad and smooth on top of the shotil- 
ders and have a well-developed forearm. His legs should be 
short and set well apart. He should l)e broad, deep and lull 
in the heart girth, which indicates a strong constitution. It 
is essential that the ram have a broad, straight back with 
well sprung ribs and wide and thick loins. A long and wide 
rump with a full deep twist is very desirable. He should l^c 
well filled in the flank with a straight underline. His fleece 
should be dense. j,^ should be remem- 

bered'-that fifty to fifty-five 
ewes should be the limit for 
an\' ram to breed in one 
seas( )n. (.)n the ranges thirty- 
five to forty ewes are enough 
for one ram. A ram lamb 
should not Ijc used for heavy 
serx'ice at any rate. 

As to the time when to 
l:)reed the ewes, this lies en- 
tirely with the flockmaster, 
as he must know what he 
intends to do with his lambs, 
turn them off on an early summer 
to keep them over and 




whelhei 
market 



he 
or 



■'A Good Ram 

wants to 
whether he 



If it is his idea to strike 



intends 
fatten them the following winter, 
the earh- market, he should 
turn the ram with the flock 
between Sci)tember loth and 
October 1st. If he intends 
to follow the other method 
of fattening his lami)S in the 
fall and winter time, he does 
not need to forced his ewes 
until al)OUt Novemljcr 1st to 
15th, or somewhere al:)Out 
that time. 

Culling the Ewe Flock 

In the fall of the vear the 
ewe flock should be looked over and those ewes which have 
not proved to be good producers, should be culled out, fattened 
and sold. Also ewes with broken mouths should be dratted 

*NoTE-The two rams shown above are of the same breed. 




*A Poor Ram 



HOW TO HANDl K S H F. i: P FOR PROFIT 

out, faUciK'd as much as possible, and sold to the butcher. 
In place of these, the best ewe lambs from the pre\-ious lamb 
crop should be added to the flock. 

The Breeding Flock in Winter 

Sheep will thrive and do well on the grains and rough- 
age grown on the average farm. If the flock goes into winter 
quarters in good condition, not a great deal of grain feeding 
is necessary. Where good clover or alfalfa hay is fed with 
perhaps a small amount of good corn silage in addition, say about 
two pounds per day per ewe, no grain is necessary at all until about 
a month previous to lambing, when it becomes essential to feed 
some grain in order to stimulate a good milk flow. As sheep 
like change in feed, some good bright corn stover, and nice, 
fine, bright oat straw will be appreciated Ijy them. By all 
means, fellow flockmasters, be sure and give your breeding 
ewes all possible exercise in the winter time, as this will add 
greatly to the health, vigor, and strength of the lambs when 
they are born. Outdoor exercise on all bright days is an 
essential factor which should alwa}'S be borne in mind. On 
all cold. Stormy days, keep them under cover, if you can. 
This, of course, does not include the sheep on the ranges 
which never go under shelter all winter long. Have your 
shed or barn well ventilated and bedded when the sheep are 
in it, and supply your sheep with plenty of fresh water at all 
times. 

Gestation Period 

It is perhaps well to mention here, for the benefit of those 
who have had no experience with sheep, something about the 
gestation period. At the Wisconsin College where careful 
records have been kept of the date of breeding and lambing 
of each ewe, it has been found that ainong the middle and 
long wool breeds of sheep the average gestation period was 
147 days. The fine wool breeds range from 150 to 154 days. 

Lambing Time 

There is perhaps no other time in the }'ear when the 
flockmaster should be so closely connected with his flock and 
give them such careful attention as at lambing time. A great 
deal of his success in the percentage of lambs raised depends 
in a large measure upon the care he gives his lambing ewes 

(61 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

and new born lambs. At this time some of the ewes need 
assistance in lambing, and like the ewes, some of the lambs 
also need the shepherd's help in getting a start. The flock- 
owner who is in earnest, will devote mucli of liis time during 
the day as well as during the night with his flock, for he knows 
that he can save old sheep as well as lambs by gi\'ing the 
proper attention to them, and this all means money and a 
larger profit for him. 

It is not a wise [)lan to leave the ewes which have lambed 
with the rest of the flock. It is far better if newly lambed 
ewes with their lamb or lambs are taken away from the main 
flock and put in separate enclosures, which will prevent a 
great deal of the so common trou]:)le of ewes disowning their 
lambs. If ewes lamb early before going out on grass, they 
may be fed more grain and corn silage than l^efore lambing, 
so as to furnish plent}- of milk to nurse the yoiuigstcrs well. 
In cases of twins and triplets it is advisable to put them to- 
gether later, and also i)ut those together with single lambs, 
as it is evident that the ewe which nurses two or three lambs 
needs more feed than the ewe with only one laml). 

Castrating and Docking Lambs 

Many flockowners in this cotmtry have not yet realized 
the importance of castrating and docking their lambs. When 
flockmastcrs who have neglected these operations in the past 
once become fully acquainted with the advantages and profits 
derived from having their lambs properly castrated and docked, 
they will soon get busy and jjerfonu this work. 

Any buck lamb which is not a pure-bred, should be 
castrated. A grade rain should in no event be used for breed- 
ing, as this method does not uplift breeding to a higher stand- 
ard, but on the contrary, lowers it. It would be a wise plan 
to castrate many of the inferior pure-bred lambs, as this also 
would be a great benefit to the sheep industry in America. 
When the flockowner intends to raise lambs which will bring 
him the largest returns from the capital invested in the busi- 
ness, he can, under no circumstances, afford to let his lambs 
go whole. Buck lambs grow all right and put on flesh for 
the first few months after birth, until the\^ ha\-e reached the 
age of three or four months, when they begin to get uneasy, 
as nature then stirs up their male functions. Now, at the 
very time when the lambs ought to get in the best condition, 

I7| 



HOW TO HAND I. F. SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

in order to l)rin'; the highest ])riee when put on the market, 
if not easlrated, they will then l)e,L;in to wear off flesh instead 
of ])uUin)L;- it on, 1)\- li,iihtin,i:; and ridinj^^ each other. In 
spite of the faet ihat tlu'\' nia\- ha\-e j^ood ])astnre and feed, 
the\' i^et thinner and eome to market in a very ])oor eondi- 
tion, while the eastrated lamb, on the other hand, mider the 
same eare and feed, at this time eomes to market in a plump, 
fat condition. Now, how does the i)riee ]jaid for ,e;(-)od, fleshy 
lambs eomi)are with that |)aid for thin buck lambs? The 
fonncr receive their full value and are in demand, while the 
latter are a dru<^ on the market on account of their thin con- 
dition and the stronjj;, undesirable taste of their ilcsh, due to 
the fact that the\' i)osscss their testicles at this a^^c. Buyers 
at our leading markets are fully aware of the disadvantages 
of such buck lambs, and hence the price paid for same is from 
$1.25 to as much as $2.00 or more less per hundred pounds 
than would hax'c Ijccn paid for them had they Ijccn castrated. 
If the above quoted difference in the i)rice paid for castrated 
and uncastrated laml)S is not sufficient to induce flockowners 
who have not used the knife on their lamlos in the past to do 
so in the future, then it is alisolutely useless to try to hell) 
them increase their profits from their sheep. Perhaps many 
flockowners are afraid t(3 tackle the task of castrating their 
lambs, but I will say to them that this is not a serious opera- 
tion at all. Like in all other work, however, the necessar\- 
])reccuUions must lie taken. 

Lambs should lie castrated when they are yoimg. The 
best time i)erhai)s is when they are from a week to fifteen days 
old. The writer, in his experience, has always found that 
lambs that are castrated at this age mind the operation much 
less than when they have become older. A nice, bright day 
should be selected for this work, and not a cold, wet and damp 
day. The pen in which the flock is kept should be well bedded 
with clean, dry straw. The laml)S that are to be castrated 
should be separated from their mothers and partitioned ofl' 
in a narrow corner, to avoid chasing when l)eing caught. The 
operator should ha\'e his hands and sharp jack knife thor- 
oughly disinfected with a solution of carbolic acid, or an\' other 
suitable disinfectant, in warm water. 

With the attendant holding the lamb firmh' with its four 
legs against its body to avoid struggling, and also holding it 
firmly against his body above the knees, the operator cuts 

18] 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

off one-third of the end of the bag, which leaves the end of 
the testicles exposed. They can then be drawn out, cord and 
all, with the fingers, or with a pair of pincers. The best and 
most ]3ractical way is for the operator to pull out the testicles 
with his teeth. This prevents the slipping of a testicle, which 
the lamb sometimes throws up into its body, causing sore- 
ness when it has to be worked down again by the operator's 
fingers. All fat and loose skin covering the testicles should 
be pushed back and left in the bag. After the removal of 
the testicles, a little of the warm disinfectant may be poured 
into the emi^ty bag to avoid any infection, and the lamb 
should then be gently lifted over the yjartition to its mother. 
i\fter the lambs are castrated, the fiock should not be dis- 
turbed in the least that day, so that the mothers will not 
run over the lambs which are lying down and hurt them in 
anv wav. 




Castrating 

The next operation that should not be neglected is dock- 
ing. Most of the iiockowners of the large ranges, who have 
what they call a general "round-up", castrate and dock their 
lambs at one time. In such cases where the idea is to save 
time and lal)or, this ma)- be pennitted, but small flockowners 
should not, in any case, follow the example of the ranchman. 
Performing both of these operations at one time gives the 
lambs a great shock, and weak lambs often succumb. From 
close observation, through many years of experience, the writer 
is fully convinced that it pays the small flockowncr well to 
perform two separate operations. 

[91 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

Tlie benefits dcrixcd from dockinji; arc so many and so 
imjiorlanl tliat it is almost a crime to ncj^lcct it. There should 
not he a sinj^le shec]) in any flock with its tail left on. In 
the summer time the j^rass in the pastm'c is often very juicy, 
the sheep's bowels bt'comc a little soft, and a filthy mass of 
manure slathers on the tail, making not onh' a \'ery undesira- 
l)le ajjpearance, but forminij also an excellent lodgin.u; bed for 
maggots, worse so in females than in males. Docking pre- 
vents a great deal of maggot infection. Moreover, because 
their tails hax'c not been rcmox'ed, ewes often go l)arren, les- 
sening also I lie N'itality and \'igor of the breeding ram. Sheej) 
and lambs coming to market with their tails on bring from 
twenty-five cents to fifty cents less per hundred ])Ounds, 
according to the amoimt of tilth gathered on the tails. 

The oijcration is best jjcrfomied when the laml)S are from 
seven to fifteen days old. In the case of buck laml)S, a week's 
time should ela])se l)etween castrating and docking, in order 
that the laml) is nearly all healed before docking follows. 
Some shepherds use a chisel and mallet and choj) off the tails 
on a bk)ck n{ wood. Others use a shar].) knife. The newest, 
and in the writer's experience, the most satisfactory and safest 
method is the use of a pair of hot ])incers. There is, then, no 
danger of an excessive loss of blood, which often causes the 
death of laml:>s docked with the knife. The hot pincers sear 
over both blood arteries, thus preventing bleeding. By the 
use of hot pincers, if the work is properly done, the laml) does 
not lose a dro]) of l)lood. If when the tail is cut off with the 




Docking 



110] 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

knife, it is noticed that the fleshier lamias are losinj^ too mueh 
blood, a piece of cord should be fastened as tightly as possible 
around the stub of the tail, close to the rump, and this will 
prevent further bleeding. The cord ma>- be removed after 
from eight to ten hours. 

These operations should be performed in the morning, 
so that tlie operator can watch the lamias. The writer knows 
of men who, having performed the operation by use of the 
knife in the evening, found some of their lambs dead the next 
morning, the cause being an excessive loss of blood. Had this 
operation been performed in the morning, the man in charge 
would have been able to watch the lambs during the day and 
so prevented the loss of Ijlood. In using a pair of hot pincers 
nothing need be feared, even though the healing process of 
the tail is somewhat slower than when the knife is used. When 
the knife is used, the operator has blood spattered all over 
himself, over other sheep, over partitions and barn, and all 
l^lood lost in this way must be restored again by feed, since 
it requires just so much to maintain the lamb. 

Rearing the Lamb for Early Market 

If lambs are to be reared for an early market, the feeder 
should commence to feed the lambs well just as soon as they 
begin to eat, which is at the age of about two weeks. A lamb 
creep put up in one end of the barn where the little fellows 
can get some extra grain and a little nice, fine clover or alfalfa 
hay, adds greatly to their early development and fitness for 
market. This extra grain feeding, if kept up, that is, if the 
lamb creep is moved with the lambs out into the pasture, 
has its great advantages. Lambs so fed are in much better 
condition than others and grow heavier and fleshier at an 
early age, so that they may be sold in May, June, or July, 
when lambs are usually scarce on the market and sell for high 
prices. Here probably is where the flockmasters in the south- 
em states have the advantage over northern sheepmen, because 
they have scarcely any winter and have green feed for their 
lambs most of the time during the winter season, and under 
these conditions they grow lambs heavy and fat enough to 
be put on the market in May and June, when they weigh 
about seventy-five pounds and bring big prices. There is no 
question that the largest profit comes from early lamb rais- 
ing. Even if lambs are held over for fall or winter feeding, it 

(HI 



now TO H\NDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

has been lotind by exi)c'rinu'nl ihat lliosc lamlis (a] extra <^raiii 
from an early age made more and cheaper gains when put in 
the feed lot in the fall than others of the same lot not receiv- 
ing any grain. It was also learned that the small extra amount 
of grain fed more tlian doul)l_\' re]jaid its cost. 

Another ])oint in ])ushing the lambs along for an early 
market and highest jjrofit is to sow a pieee of rape just as soon 
as sowing can l)e done. It should be so arranged that this piece 
of ra])e, which will generally mature in from seven weeks' to 
two months' time, is near to the pasture where the sheep are 
kv]){. A little creep-hole can be ])ut in the fence so that the 
}'t)ungsters can crawl through and get some, but not the old 
sheep; or it ma\- Ix' cut and fed to the lambs. With the mothers' 
milk, ])asture, and this rape, and perhaps a little extra grain, 
the lambs will grow i)lump and fat and will command the 
highest jjrice on the market. This rape, if time pemiits, can 
be sown in drills, making it possible to grow more of it on an 
acre than when sown broadcast. When sown in this wa\', 
lambs will not waste much by tramping it down, and it can 
be cultivated to keep the weeds out. I cannot speak highly 
enough of the value of the rape plant for lamb and sheep feed- 
ing. 

If lambs are intended for fall or early winter market, 
another |)iece of rape may be sown not later than July 1st, 
which should Ijc ready to turn them on when they are weaned. 
In an experiment conducted at the Wisconsin College, rape 
pasture took the place of a pound of grain for each lamb daily, 
in comparison with another lot on grass pasture with one pound 








fi 



1121 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

of grain daily and no rape. In other words, one pound of grain 
was saved by each lamb daih% and the lambs on rape made 
just as much gain as the other lambs that received one pound 
of grain. 

It was further learned, when finishing both lots ofi in 
earlv winter, that the lambs that had received rape before 
winter feeding, did considerably better than the other lot not 
receiving rape before being put into the feed lot. Flockmasters 
who are acquainted with the value of rape, sow it with small 
grain or corn to pasture it off after the grain is harvested. 
From experiments and jjcrsonal observation I know that the 
rape plant is a \-ery cheap feed, is easily grown, and is a great 
l)romoter of growth and mutton production. 

Fattening Sheep or Lambs for Early Fall or 
Winter Market 

It is generally admitted among feeders that lambs bring 
more profit when put in the feed lot than older sheep, for the 
simple reason that it requires less pounds of feed to produce 
a pound of gain in lambs than in yearlings or still older sheep. 
The lamb in the feed lot is not only putting on flesh, but is at 
the same time growing in size, while the older sheep though 
spreading and developing more in width of body and also 
imtting on flesh, is actually not growing in size any more after 
it reaches the age of two years. Wherever practicable, it will 
])ay the feeder to secure lambs for feeding, unless, of course, 
he can get yearlings or two-year-olds at a very low cost which 
will enable him to realize a good profit from his in\-estment. 
Fat lamljs are in greater demand on the market than older 
sheep, and are therefore generally considerably higher in price. 

In selecting feeders one ought to be very careful to get 
sound, healthy sheep, and not buy a lot that is probably in- 
fested with internal parasites, as stomach or tape worms, or 
with scab or foot rot. If the feeder is not watchful he will cut 
his profit down right at the beginning by losing some of the 
sheep which were unsound when bought. 

To feed in the most economical way, the feeder should 
consider which varieties of grain are cheapest to use, as varia- 
tions in prices of grain in many cases either increase the profit 
or lessen it. As an illustration the writer will refer to an ex- 
periment conducted several years ago at the Wisconsin Col- 
lege. In this instance, two lots of lambs were fed, one receiv- 

ini 



HOW TO HANOI. V. S H I-. I', I" I- OR PROFIT 

in_<4' .slicllcd corn, and other dried ])vv[ I'ldp. 'Vhv ])rice of corn 
al that time was $20 ])er ton, and ihc price of l)cet pulp .flG 
per ton. When the experiment was completed, it was found 
that the lambs fed on l)ceL pulp made about as much gain as 
thost' ic(] on the corn. Witli a large nimibcr of lambs or shcc]) 
icd on these two different rations, a saving of $4 ])cr ton would 
make quite an extra ])rolit. It has been i)roved that the feed- 
ing of good, sweet, corn silage to sheep or lambs for fattening 
them, in connection wdth hay and some grain, is of great profit, 
because it is a good feed and at the same time very cheap. 




A Good F"eeder 



A Poor Feeder 



The Principles of Feeding 

Not every man ntakes a good, profital)le, and economical 
sheep feeder. Good results in feeding depend largely on the 
judgment, management, and abilit\- of the feeder himself. It 
is not the careless, shiftless fellow who does not take pride in 
his work, and does the feeding only in order to earn his day's 
or month's wages, who is successful; nor is it the fellow wdio 
does not possess common judgment and wastes feed ; nor is 
it the one wdio feeds the shec]) in his care good and full at one 
meal and not enough at the next, w-hich results in what is 
tenned getting them "off feed", and often causes scouring, 
when sheep will lose in two or three days as much in live weight 
as they will put on again in the next two weeks. 

114] 



HOW TO HANDLE SHEEP FOR PROFIT 

A feeder of sheep must have learned to praeliee eleanh- 
ness, as sheep, perhaps, are a Httle more partieular with re- 
gard to cleanhness in their feed than some other classes of live 
stock. He must keep the feed troughs clean and sweet and see 
to it that the ha\' and other roughage is clean and l^right, and 
that the grain has not Ijeen scratched over and soiled 1)\' chick- 
ens, or in any other way. 

Above all other things, to feed profitably, the feeder must 
be a person who practices gentleness when going to the sheep 
fold. Sheep like kind treatment, and repay it in a high de- 
gree. 

Punctuality is another factor which leads to highest profit. 
Hours of feeding must be strictly observed. It should not be 
done early one morning and late the next. 

A good feeder watches every animal in the flock closely, 
studies their appetites, and when an increase in feed is made, 
he will make it very gradually, so that the sheep do not even 
know when the increase takes place. While this is mostly meant 
for sheep and lambs fed for market, where heavy grain feeding 
is done, it must be remembered that in warm weather the feeder 
must use great care not to feed them as heavily on grain as he 
would in cool or cold w^eather. Sheep do not want as much 
grain in wanii as in cold weather, and if the same amount is 
fed, it upsets the whole work and results in loss of profit. Sheep 
naturally make their best gains in cold weather. 

A careful feeder will always see that his flock is kept free 
from ticks or lice. When these are found on sheep, the sheep 
should be dipped as they can make no gains when they are an- 
noyed day and night by these pests. 

Shelter also adds greatly to the welfare of sheep in severe 
weather. 

The watchful eye of the master in all these matters is what 
brings good results. 




1151 



A WORD ABOUT 

SCOTCH SHEEP 
FEEDING 

By JOHN CLAY 




A Typical Border Shepherd 



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I A WORD ABOUT I 

i SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING i 



niiiii iiiiiiiiiuiiiii I Mill I I mil Ml II II 1 1 1 1 1 1 III! iiiiiMiiiiiiii 

By John Clay 




ROM my earliest youth I have been a sheep 
feeder. As a boy the shepherds took me 
under their charge, — many a happy hour 
have I spent with them on lowland fann 
or moorland side. In Scotland the sheep 
are not housed or even yarded. They 
spend their all too short lives under 
the canopy of heaven. In spring and 
summer the green sod is beneath them ; 
in fall and winter on a lowland holding 
they are put on turnip fields and folded 
on them, a small portion given them every few days, divided 
oft" by string nets that are ingeniously hung on stakes driven 
by a wooden mell (l^ig hammer) into the ground. In winter 
days the turnii) is the axle around which the sheep feeder's 
life revolves. It is the foundation of his work, in fact, you 
can go further and say it is the foundation of Border Agri- 
culture, in which niy earh' training took place. 

The Vale of the Tweed is a wondrous land of romance. 
From its old reivers and warriors its folks have inherited man>- 
strong characteristics, — not the least among them an instinc- 
tive love of sheep. Much of the song and story of the neigh- 
borhood is twined round the gentle shepherd and his flock, 
the maiden stepping from her natal shieling over the purple 
heather or jumping deftly over a mountain burn. In glow- 
ing pictures both the poet and artist have told the story of 
simple lives spent in humble homes amid fields fenced by "the 
hawthorn hoar" or amid quiet glens where babbling 1)rook-s 
make the silence musical. One generation succeeds another. 
They are not serfs but they stick to the country, and back for 
years, far as legend carries us, there have been families of An- 
dersons, Tumbulls, Littles, Douglases, Whitlaws, Stobies, 
Scotts, Elliots, and men of that ilk, working out their des- 
tiny with Border flocks. 

1191 



SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING 

In my early life we did not turn off many lambs. The 
fashion ran on bi*^ joints and we catered to it. The Scotch 
and North of England folks are called eonser\-ati\'e, and in 
many ways they are, Init in farminij matters they jjromptly 
meet conditions. 

Twccdsidc is an ideal place for the sheep industry. Down 
in the \'alleys of the main stream and its tributaries are rich 
lands with splendid nattn^al drainage, the basis of a success- 
ful sheep indtistry. Gradually \'Oit leave these low lands and 
rise u]), bench l)y bench, to the Cheviot and Lammermoor 
hills, to grey l)ent and piu"])le heather. Near the vicinity of 
the streams you see the Border Leicester sheep or high grades 
prevailing; on higher grounds, but mostly on arable land, the 
Leicester-Cheviot, known as the half-bred, finds a congenial 
home. Higher up, still on green hillsides, the graceful Cheviot 
makes its living, and last and most picturesque of all is the 
shy Blackface. As I write here at St. Joseph, Missouri, I see 
the panorama, — the deep, silent river, — the whistling plow- 
man, — the sheep grazing quietly, — and then further afield, 
up where the grass breaks into oceans of bracken, up still to 
the purple hillside, and there with springy stcj) you see the hill 
shepherd with a couple of collies at his heels sweeping the 
landscape with an eagle eye not missing a point. Hail him 
and you will find a gentle, shy sort of man, diffident and slow 
of speech, reticent, — but pierce the inner crust and you find 
a heart of gold. Come once again those glorious days when 
on Yeavcring Bell or b>' Che\'iot fell the whirring grouse and 
startled sheep get out of sight of the intnider and leave you 
alone amid the swelling hillsides and the deep gloomy valleys! 

(Jver sixty years ago my father took his first hill farm. 
He had a cosy place in the Merse of Berwickshire and, like 
his father before him, he added a hill place to his holdings. 
It was a lucky find, for it led on, with other additions, to hap- 
piness and affluence. The lowland fami was composed of heav\' 
clay, difficult to work, "a kittle place" as they say in Scot- 
land, but a great producer in favoraljle seasons. The hill 
farm produced two classes of shec]3. On its arable lands were 
Leicester-Cheviots whose nose had always to be close to the 
plow^ and often the cake trough. Blackfaces were on the up- 
land hirsel and their produce went straight to market, either 
as fat lambs or as feeders to be wintered in other parts of the 
country. The half-V)rcd wether lambs were transferred diu-- 

1201 



SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING 

ing August to the low country farm. There the\' were put 
on foggage, red clover, alsike and timothy, being the mix- 
tvire of grasses, but the former prevailing. The method after 
they were fairly weaned was to winter them as cheaply as 
possible and still keep them thrifty as the class of wool they 
produced was very valuable in those days. 

They ran on the old grass fields and had an allowance 
of turnips and bran or a Ijite of linseed cake. The last two 
months of the winter, when they had lost their front teeth, 
thcY were fed cut turnii)s. The end of April they got on to 
the grass fields and were shorn in Ma>-. During the height 
of the grass they got no extra feed but whenever the grass 
sliow^d signs of failing the little troughs apix-ared and they 
ke])t improving right along on a feed of cake or grain. Late 
in the fall or early spring, ten or fifteen acres of land gener- 
ally contiguous to a favorite old grass field was sown in tares 
(vetches). About the tenth of August these were ready to 
cut. Never will I forget Archie Anderson, our shepherd, dead 
these manv years, cutting the tangled tares with an old- 
fashioned scythe. Then they were loaded into a long cart, 
driven to the grass field and tossed out to the flock. Thc>' 
followed the wagon like cattle after a ha>' rack on the ijrairie. 
We generally had about three hundred to three hundred fift>' 
of those wethers. l)ig, bony fellows with ears well set over 
their intelligent, liquid eyes. They were brought from the 
fields the\- had Ijcen grazing and were ciniccntrated in the 




[211 



SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING 

above, a pasltirc of about fifteen acres. What jo}- it was to 
drive the old horse and eart as Archie tossed the kw\ rij^dit 
and left, his doy.- lyinjj,- at the ,uate ever read\' lo answer wliistle 
or si,L(n frenii liis master. 

Dreamy days were those, leax'in.i; Ix'liiiid ihem mellow- 
memories, — the gentle slK'pliei'd, the floek dmnb but radiant 
with instinct, — the wise do^;, ihv tall hedi^e on the west side 
of the field, a boundary and a slielter in one, red with haws, 
winter fruit for thousands of wild birds,- awa_\' in the distance 
the old scjuare farm house redolent of our ancestors wIkj for 
generations had tilled many acres of the .surrounding country. 

After the flock had gotten its share of the tares the cake 
l)arrcl was tai^jied and about half to three-ciuarters of a poinid 
of concentrated food was jnit in the small trough for each 
animal. At this ])iece of work the dog was in evidence. As 
the shepherd poured the cake and corn from a sack into the 
above the shec]) were kept back by the Collie. If one of the 
expectant flock had the temerity to try to l)reak away and 
reach the daint\' food, the dog shot out like an arrow and 
turned him back to the bunch. Not a word from the sheji- 
herd, — he knew his dut_\' without being told. 

After eating, the Hock rested, scattered over the green 
field, niaking a scene of peace and plenty. As the season went 
on and the grass in the field was nibbled close more tares 
and more artificial food was doled out. About the tenth of 
October a few tiu'nips, roots and tojjs, were added. Then the 
day came when they were folded on the root field. The 
troughs went with them and for six weeks or two months 
they got i)ractically as much artihcial food as they could eat. 
It was a stuffing process. 

When they reached eighty or eighty-two pounds dressed 
my father sent for Joe Ruddick, the great Border dealer of 
those days, and they Ijargained for the stock. Ruddick came 
about two o'clock in the afternoon. They kjoked over the 
sheep for sale, ])robably took a glance at the cattle that had 
just been placed in sheds for the winter feeding, and then 
they went to the hcjuse for dinner at three o'clock. The bar- 
gaining began after dinner, at which se\'eral of the neighbors 
were present. After my mother left the table the port bottle 
went freely around and a good deal of gossip) was retailed. 
Later on the hot water jug came into action and hot toddy 
in big tuml:)lers was freely drunk. All the time the trading 

[221 



SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING 



went on. As a rule Ruddick had looked at some of the neigh- 
bors' stock, so he had to hold his own against three or four 
parties. As I recollect it always ended in a deal. Tea was 
served in the drawing room about six o'clock. Ruddick left 
shortly afterwards while the neighbors sat down at the whist 
table, played probably for a couple of hours, drank more toddy 
and left about ten o'clock. 

Halcvon days were these for the Scottish farmer, — the 
American Civil War had forced up prices, — the misfortunes 
of others, the horror of bloody battle fields, was enriching land- 
lord and tenant in the British Isles. I think it was in 1864 
that the wool from the above sheep sold at sixty cents per 
pound. They probably produced from seven to eight pounds 
per head but at the former weight it meant $4.20 per sheep 
and as they went to the dealer at about $15 per head for mut- 
ton it meant an enomious return to the producer and feeder, 
and my father, wise in his generation, aUvays tried to follow 
up his wether sheep from the cradle to the grave. Our yearly 
draft of ewes went to England to produce another lamb crop. 
Nowadays it is all changed. Sir Walter Scott in tell- 
ing the story of the last of the Scottish minstrels, said: "The 
bigots of the iron time had call'd his harmless art a crime." 
It is change everywhere. The farmer of fifty years ago in 
Southern Scotland would be a freak in these days of modern 
methods. Like the minstrel, he has disappeai-ed. The sickle 
and the scythe are gone; the mower and self-binder take their 
place, and so the old-fashioned wether of stately proportions 
is a rara avis. Ask a butcher for a leg of an auld sheep, as 
they still term it, and you get a sigh from him, and then he 
answers, "Nay, nay, we never see them any more." 

The lamb that is born in March is taught to eat cake 
at his mother's side and when he is weaned he is carried for- 
ward towards maturity at lightning speed. By early Decem- 
ber the tops of the flock will dress sixty pounds and that is 
the W'Cight popular in these days. More than once I have 
stated that the husbandry of the Borderland, so far as the 
working of the soil is concerned, has deteriorated sadly, not 
because the farmers are less skillful, but labor becomes scarcer 
each year. The advance in machinery has helped a lot but 
it cannot overcome the want of hand labor necessary for root 
culture. But when you come to the live stock business, and 
more especially the handling of sheep, a tremendous advance 

1231 



SCOTCH S II F. E P F R E D I N G 

has l)cc'n made. Tlu'v turn ihcir sheep produel of the fann 
at half the a,i;e and at se\'enty-fi\'e ])er cent of the weijjjht. Tlie 
same slor_\- is told in onr stock yards in rej^^ard to yearling 
cattle. It is the small tidy cut that is ])o]nilar and the butcher 
of Britain, as well as in the United States, must cater to liis 
customers. 

After weanin.i;, the farmer, aided by his shepherd (and 
the latter is i;enerall_\- the l)i,u; asset in the management of the 
flock), must ])rovide i^ood aftemiath to start the kaml)S on 
their \va\- to market. vSome seasons are more favorabk' than 
others, but in a country where the rainfall is well divided the 
stockman has not mxieh trouble in this way. Artificial food 
is freely given and whenever the roots are ready for consump- 
tion they are turned on them. The laml) teeth can slice the 
white or >-ellow roots, bvit when they come to the swedes these 
ha\-e to be topped and tailed, ]jut in to heaps and the turnip 
cutter is in evidence. The sheep is an early riser and you 
must be ready at dawn to fill his boxes with sliced roots. Then 
at a certain hour, to the minute if possible, feed them their 
extra ration of cake or corn. The sheej) is a grand time- 
keeper. Away amid the silent hills and \'alleys where the 
wild foxes wander and the curlew screams, the Cheviots or 
Blackfaces spend their nights on the hill tops. At daylight 
they commence feeding slowly downwards. At noon they 
rest a little in the valley, generally by the banks of some stream, 
then as the sun crosses the yard arm they point their eyes 
once more upward. Nothing but a brewing storm will keep 
them from their onward march to the bare hill top. There 
is method in their life and they love inmctualit\', and whether 
it be on Scottish fanii or Colorado ranch you must feed \'our 
sheep to the minute to make a success of your business. Fur- 
ther still you must handle your young stock gently, with tact 
and love. As civility is the cheajjest thing in daily life noth- 
ing counts so much in ovine existence as gentle care mixed with 
oljservation. Watch their habits and cater to their wants. 

Another change has come. I know not whether for the 
better or worse. The fair ground where we used to meet and 
haggled over prices has disappeared. The shepherds would reach 
such places as St. Boswells Green or Melrose Moor the night 
])revious to the fair day. Then at daylight the owner would 
a]jpear and as those Fairs were held in Juh' and August he 
probably spent most of the night reaching his stand, for that was 

(241 



SCOTCH SHEEP FEEDING 

befoi-e the davs of distance-killin.i,^ motors, so as to reach his 
flock by four A. M. If it was a brisk trade he sold out early 
but many a day the owners stood till three P. M. under a 
hot sun, or again in a pouring rain. Today it is the auction 
mart. It opens about ten A. M., the farmer gets leisurely 
to the place of business, the auctioneer does the work and 
the owner has nothing to say but look wise and take his medi- 
cine. It is easier, ])Ossibl\- it is loetter, but the young fanner 
growing up under such conditions knows little of the value 
of his stock. He cannot cultivate self-reliance in pricing his 
product. In other words, his individuality is seriously im- 
paired. 




125) 



Seven Million 
Sheep 

Handled During 1911 and 1912 by 

Clay, Robinson & Co. 

During the two years ending 
December 31, 1912, we handled 
(bought and sold) at all of our 
houses, a total of 6,949,639, 
or in round figures, seven 
million sheep and lambs. 
This is equivalent to an aver- 
age of practically 

Twelve Thousand Head Per Day 

for every business day the year 
around. The splendid selling 
service that built and which 
maintains this business is at 
the disposal of sheepmen con- 
signing to us at any of the ten 
markets shown on opposite 
page. 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



002 836 448 9 



PRESS OF 

JAMES H. ROOK CO. 

CHICAGO 



